Taiwan has by no means been a part of the Individuals’s Republic of China

Ambassador Roy Chun Lee is Taiwan’s consultant to the EU and Belgium.

Over the past 130 years, very similar to many European nations, Taiwan has solid a singular id that unites its individuals, underpins its freedom and democracy, and has made it a worldwide expertise powerhouse. Taiwan has by no means been a part of the Individuals’s Republic of China (PRC), not even for a single day.

Taiwan roughly matches the Netherlands in land mass, inhabitants, and GDP. Because the cession of Taiwan by the Qing dynasty to Japan in 1895, no authorities in China has ever exercised its jurisdiction over Taiwan. In reality, throughout the 75 years because the PRC’s founding in 1949, Taiwan has existed as a sovereign state beneath its official identify, the Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan’s existence as a sovereign state is a straightforward truth; it doesn’t require UN membership for justification. That is the established order. 

Over the previous 130 years, the individuals of Taiwan have cultivated a singular id with a multicultural heritage, drawing not solely from Chinese language influences but in addition from the Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, and Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, who’re extensively regarded to be the origin of all Austronesian cultures. Just like the identity-building technique of most European international locations, Taiwan’s journey has been a mix of darkness and light-weight, struggling and pleasure, wrestle and triumph.

But these components are precisely what make the Taiwanese id distinctive and render it a particular, like-minded companion to Europe and the world, with or with out formal diplomatic recognition. 

The existence of Taiwan as a sovereign nation with a singular id is additional demonstrated by its nice achievements. It’s an financial and democratic powerhouse. In 2024, Taiwan ranked because the world’s twenty first largest economic system, bigger than two-thirds of EU Member States. The Democracy Index locations Taiwan twelfth on the earth and primary in Asia. 

Taiwan loves freedom simply as we love semiconductors. The Human Freedom Index ranks Taiwan 1st in Asia, and the Index of Financial Freedom places Taiwan 4th on the earth. Within the World Press Freedom Index, Taiwan stands between Spain and France, and once more 1st in Asia.   

Indices are numbers, however they provide a great sense of relative efficiency throughout international locations. Taiwan’s efficiency in most indicators is on par with European international locations. This isn’t to indicate off how good Taiwan is. Somewhat, that is the proof to display that not solely does Taiwan exist independently, however it is usually an impactful and inseparable member of the worldwide group.  

Sadly, as a substitute of applauding Taiwan, the PRC has regularly employed each accessible methodology to disclaim the existence of Taiwan. Probably the most often used instruments is to distort the which means of UN Decision 2758, arguing that the Decision displays a worldwide consensus that Taiwan is a part of the PRC.  

That is pretend information. The next is a direct citation from a speech delivered by European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, on behalf of EU Excessive Consultant/Vice-President Josep Borrell in October 2024: “United Nations Decision 2758 may be very quick – solely 150 phrases. And amongst these 150 phrases, the phrase ‘Taiwan’ doesn’t seem. The decision switched illustration within the United Nations from the ‘representatives of Chiang Kai-shek’ to the ‘representatives of the Authorities of the Individuals’s Republic of China’”.

In brief, Decision 2758 gives no authorized foundation for the PRC to assert possession of Taiwan or to disclaim the truth that Taiwan has existed as a sovereign, unbiased, and significant nation for the final 75 years.  

Given the weak spot of its authorized arguments, the PRC has visibly doubled down on extra aggressive and malignant techniques. Army intimidation towards Taiwan and its neighbours has grow to be a each day risk in an try to unilaterally change the established order. Financial coercion that weaponises commerce relationships can also be frequent. 

Europe may help deter coercion within the Taiwan Strait. First, face the details: Taiwan is a democracy whose sovereignty is exercised and loved daily by its 23 million individuals. No quantity of propaganda can erase that actuality. Second, expose and resist coercion: Name out and reject the PRC’s disinformation campaigns, financial blackmail, and navy intimidation every time and wherever they seem. And third, put money into partnership: Increase commerce, expertise, safety dialogues, and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, in order that shared values can grow to be shared resilience. 

There is no such thing as a query about Taiwan’s standing immediately. Solely an authoritarian regime’s denial of a actuality its ideology finds inconvenient.